Building construction



Jan. 31,1928.

J. s. GROVES BUILDING CONSTRUCTION Filed March 15 1926 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR.

l S. ERDVES ATTORNEY Jan. 31, 1928.

J- S. GROVES BUILDING CONSTRUCTION Filed March 13 1926 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

4. s GRUVES 41 Hair;

ATTORNEY Jan. 31,1928. 7 1,657,964

I I J. S. GROVES BUILDING CONSTRUCTION Filed March 13 1 26 I5 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR. .J. S. EREWES ATTORNEY Patented 'Jan. 31, 1928.

UNITED STATES PATENT orrics.

BUILDING CONSTRUCTION.

Application filed March 13, 1928. Serial No. 94,543.

This invention relates to improvements in building construction, and has particular reference to the employment of pre-cast trough-shaped members, fillers, spacers and end pieces, so arranged in relation to each other that they can be readily and securely joined to form a composite substantial building construction.

Objects of the invention are to provide a 1 method of constructing buildings which permits an easy handling of the pre-cast members when placing the same in position in the process of completing buildings; saving time and labor in constructing buildings, and realizing a compactly built structure at a minimum cost.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent during the course of the following description.

In the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification, and in which like numerals are employed to designate like 1 parts throughout the same,

Figure Iis a side elevation of a building constructed in accordance with my invention Figure II is a cross section taken on the line 2-2 of Figure I,

Figure III is a plan View of a building floor showing the same partly broken away,

Figure IV is a cross section of a floor construction,

Figure V is a cross section similar to Figure IV and at right angles thereto, Figure VI discloses the members used as a column form,

Figure VII discloses the members as appearing in the roof construction, 7 Figure VIII is a cross section showing the 40 members in use in forming the roof ridge,

Figure IX is a cross section showing a modified form of roof construction,

Figure X is a perspective view of one of the trough-shaped members,

Figure XI is a perspective view of a filler or spacer block that is employed, Figure XII showsthe manner of scour ing the abutting edges of two side walls constructed in accordance with my invention,

' Figure XIIIis a perspective view of an f end piece.

In the present day practise of completing structures of reinforced concrete construction, it is necessary to erect a wood support called forms, upon which a plurality of hollow tile are placed end to end, each row of tile being spaced from the next adjacent row, after which re-enforcing bars are placed between the rows, or in some instances steel pans are utilized in place of the hollow tiles. Concrete and metal reinforcing rods are then placed over and between the hollow tile or the pans so that the concrete flows between the tiles and pans, thus forming beams, girders and other structural members. While with my construction it is notnecessary to use the wooden supporting surface. My trough-shaped members together with the filler, spacer and end pieces are structurally designed of sufficient strength to carry the load of concrete which is poured thereover in the manner above described where the hollow tiles and metal pans are employed.

It will be also noted that considerable time is saved in the handling of my members as compared to the building of wood forms and to the handling of a large number of tile or pans which have to be individually, securely and accurately placed.

Broadly speaking the invention comprises the pre-casting of trough-shaped membersor forms and placing the members in confronting position in cooperating pairs, I

and the spacing apart of the same by placing filler blocks or spacing pieces between the members, and end pieces at the end of th members where needed, forming a support or form, and then pouring concrete thereover with the employment of reinforcing rods for realizing the structural requirements necessary in reinforced concrete building construction.

In the present method, members of the substantial conformation shown to advantage in Figure X are employed with the exception that in certain instances the memhers are narrow or wider, smaller or longer, depending on the use required.

The various members have been illustrated in the figures of the drawings, and it will be noted that in every instance they conform to the shape disclosed in Figure X.

In the accompanying drawings wherein for the purpose of illustration is shown a preferred embodiment of my invention, the numeral 13 discloses the referred to troughshaped members. It will be noted that this trough-shaped member has provided therein perforations as indicated at 14, which perforations are formed in the top surface and with the re-enforcing rods as indicated by the numeral 18, which serve as re-enforcing mediums and together form a complete structural floor, as shown in Figure IV and Figure V. Figure l discloses to advantage a side wall of the structure and indicates how the pre-cast channel members with the fillers, spacers and end pieces are associated, by placing on a flat level surface the precast channel members together with fillers, spacers and end pieces where needed in a manner to conform to the shape of any shaped wall surface, leaving openin 's for Windows as illustrated in Figure l, at 19, or for inserts or doors to be placed later. Form seats for floor and ceiling systems can be put up later as shown at 20 "and 21 in Figure llI.

After the wall is formed similar to and as heretofore described and has become hardened and set and complete, the wail is lifted from its flat level position to the vertical position and set or placed on and supported by foundation A. The adjacent walls are then placed and connected as shown in Figure Kill.

It will be seen that the spaces formed between the channel-shaped members when poured with concrete and inverted to a vertical position become structural members forming posts, struts, headers, beams, girders and columns. This method further allows the completion of the exterior wall surface which can be made of any desired texture or tone of plastic composition while lying level and after raising and fastening together the wall can receive the plaster for the interior. After this construction has been completed the floors and other portions of the structure can be formed and associated to complete the building.

' Referringparticularly to Figure XIII of the drawings the numeral 22 designates an end piece which is placed at or in the ends of my members where needed and is best shown in operative position in Figure V.

The foundation A above referred to is preferably made by combining two of the members and pouring concrete there-between as shown in the drawings.

From a consideration of the foregoing description, together with the accompanying drawings, it will be noted that I have devised eer/nee pie-cast forms that can be used in the building trades to realize shapes and sizes of various re-enforced concrete structural members such as braces, girders, trusses, columns, struts, posts, walls, ceilings, roofs and floors 7 necessary for the erection of buildings without the use of wood forms.

It is further obvious that the members not only serve as forms but when arranged as shown provide air spaces and air cells, in the 7 walls, floors and ceilings of the building where needed, and each will serve as a structural member itself in parts of the building where the imposed load does not require a greater structural member than the channel 30 shaped members are designed to carry.

It further supplies a form surface uponwhich the stucco, plaster or composition materials can be placed. In addition to these features, it acts as a supporting form for a roof, and if the loads are within its structural capacity to act as the roof itself.

The channel-shaped members with the fillers, spacers and end pieces can be made of concrete, cement, clay or any building com- 99 pos, v,n re-enforced with metal rods to enable it to be self-supporting from bearing to hearing and designed to carry any loads placed upon it.

It is to be understood that the form of my invention herewith shown and described is to be taken as a preferred example of the same, and that various changes relative to the size, shape and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from 109 the spirit of the invention or the scope of the subjoined claims.

Having thus described my invention, I claim 1. A building structure including troughshaped members each provided with holes therein for receiving tie rods for connecting the said members in cooperating pairs and in confronting relation to provide air spaces.

filler bloclrs positioned between each member 110 filler blocks and end pieces to form a struc ture unit of the building, and re-enforcing bars positioned in the concrete.

2. A wall or other body member made of a plurality of members, each member being of trough-shaped formation adapted to be arranged in pairs with each member of each pair being disposed in confronting relation with respect to each other so as to cooperate for forming an air space in each pair, filler blocks positioned between 1 the adjacent confronting portions of each member for spacing one from the other, end pieces in the end of the pairs of said member to form structural members, means for conand being nesting said members, and concrete filling ml the spaces between and exteriorly of the said members, and re-enforcing bars positioned in the concrete.

3. A pre-cast form for re-enforced concrete construction made up of a pluralityof trough-shaped forms adapted to be arranged in confronting cooperating relation in pairs with the pairs of members disposed in spaced relation with respect to each other, filler blocks, end pieces and spacers positioned be tween the members of each pair and means for connecting said channel-shaped members to form the shapes of the structural members in re-enforced concrete construction.

In testimon whereof I :rfiix my signature.

JAMES S. GROVES. 

